CARETAKER boss Paul Stephenson dedicated Saturday’s win to James Beattie, admitting tears were shed when he left the club on Friday.

The Reds were rocked by the news their manager was leaving on the eve of the game and many fans were still dismayed as they arrived at the ground, trying to garner information about what brought about Beattie’s shock departure.

And the first half matched the subdued atmosphere in the crowd, which included famous fan David Lloyd as well as ex-Stanley boss John Coleman and his assistant Jimmy Bell.

Wimbledon should have got their noses in front but Matt Tubbs, the league’s leading scorer, left his shooting boots at home.

And the Reds took full advantage as James Gray struck in the 83rd minute to hand Stanley back-to-back wins and give Beattie the perfect send-off.

His team-mates joined him to celebrate, all mimicking the finger-waving salute Beattie favoured as a player and while larking about on the training ground.

“It was incredible, they did it for James,” said Stephenson. “I’d like to think it was for me as well because I’ve been working with them a while because I was assistant to Leam (Richardson) when James was still a player.

“The reaction has been brilliant, that Accrington spirit they showed today was magnificent. It was a really tough game.

“Both teams cancelled each other out and we probably had better chances in the first half,.You can be on top then come in at 0-0 and it can affect you, but it didn’t.

“We kept our first clean sheet of the season and we kept it against the most potent strike force in the division so far.

“After what they’ve been through in the last 24 hours, with the manager leaving, who they love, and I love, it was very difficult.”

‘Stevo’ was placed in charge after Beattie’s exit and revealed he received a good luck message from the former England striker before the game.

“It’s been a tough couple of days for me because I’m close friends with James,” he said. “He was my biggest supporter and he said to go and do it for myself, my family and the boys.

“Everybody had a few tears yesterday but we’ve got our composure back now.”

Coming from a man who has spent 30 years in football and seen countless players and managers come and go, that speaks volumes about the esteem he and the Stanley players hold Beattie in.

Little wonder they weren’t at their most fluent. Each side struggled to maintain possession in the first half and, but for an early flurry, there was little goalmouth action.

Tubbs spurned his first chance when he sliced a shot wide while Tom Aldred’s header across goal was put behind. After a flowing Stanley move, the Reds earned two corners in quick succession, Rob Atkinson heading the second wide at the far post, while Luke Joyce fired wide after Andy Procter laid off Piero Mingoia’s cross.

And although Marcus Carver’s collision with visiting keeper James Shea forced the ball free, the referee blew for a foul just as Gray turned the loose ball over.

Wimbledon barely got into Accy territory during the first half and the Stanley supporters let out a collective gasp when Dannie Bulman knocked the ball past Aldred, although keeper Joe Lumley rushed out to gather at the midfielder's feet.

The only other chance before the break was when Procter brought down a throw into the box and helped it on towards Gray, who was inches from poking it goalwards from six yards.

Stanley were restricted to long-range efforts at the start of the second half while Buxton had a mazy run blocked on the edge of the Wimbledon box.

But the visitors almost broke the deadlock from a 56th-minute corner as Sean Rigg’s flick was blocked and went straight to Tubbs. The on-loan Bournemouth striker hit it first time, slicing it over Lumley, but reaching backwards at full stretch, the QPR loanee managed to tip it onto the bar before Aldred cleared.

The Reds replied with Kal Naismith hitting an audacious lob narrowly over, but the Dons were making the better chances.

Tubbs laid off to Tom Beere on the edge of the Stanley box and although the Reds’ defence stood off, Beere’s firm volley was straight at Lumley.

Stanley were then almost undone by a move the original Wimbledon would have been proud of as Shea’s punt forward was flicked on by Adebayo Akinfenwa, putting his strike partner through on goal, only for Tubbs to scuff his shot to Lumley.

Stanley earned some respite as Gray managed a 20-yard shot which went wide while both Procter and substitute Josh Windass were off target from outside the box.

Shea had to rush out to prevent Gray getting on the end of Procter’s through-ball but Tubbs wasted another great opportunity moments later.

Sammy Moore found the ex-Crawley striker unmarked on the edge of the box and he curled inches wide of the far post. And Tubbs would rue that miss as Stanley claimed the winner just over a minute later.

Naismith found Joyce, who squared for Buxton 40 yards out. The Reds’ left-back had pushed further forward as the game wore on and this time he burst into a gap and drew two defenders before laying off for Gray, who took one touch before lifting the ball over Shea and inside the far post.

Wimbledon pushed for an equaliser as Tubbs shot straight at Lumley while sub George Francomb sliced another close-range effort wide. Francomb’s cross was then tipped wide and from the resulting corner, Lumley pulled off a fine save to parry Alan Bennett’s header and ensure an ecstatic end to an emotional week.